


your body told me in a dream it's never been afraid of anything

by turnerandkane



Category: Cowboy Bebop
Genre: Fluff, M/M, because jet is a good boy, jet takes care of him, spike is a mess, this all takes place pre-series i guess prob. pre meeting faye at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-06 03:38:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11027829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnerandkane/pseuds/turnerandkane
Summary: Jet gets more than he bargained for when he teams up with Spike.





	your body told me in a dream it's never been afraid of anything

Spike brings a lot to the Bebop when Jet partners up with him. He has a number of skills that come in very handy for bounty hunting, and he’s not too bad to just hang out with either. Jet feels like he has made a fairly decent decision in teaming up with him. For about a week.

Within the week, he discovers that Spike is impulsive and reckless, endangering their success through his antics as often as he ensures it. And, most concerningly, he displays a complete disregard for his own life and well-being. Jet has never met someone who seems to fear death as little as Spike does.

Unfortunately, in the week that it takes for this to fully sink in, Jet becomes quite attached to him. So, at the same time he realizes he’s brought a huge liability onto his ship, he realizes he is going to be doing everything he can to protect him from here on out.

 _This is not what I signed up for,_ Jet thinks as he wraps up Spike’s arm where it was grazed by a bullet, but when Spike smiles and thanks him he wonders if maybe it won’t end up being better.

*

That Jet comes to enjoy Spike’s company more than he ever expected definitely turns out to be the case; it is also the case, however, that Spike continues to get himself into scrape after scrape that Jet is sure age him at least a year apiece, and that sometimes end with Jet insisting on bed rest for as long as he can force Spike to comply.

Jet has an easy time enforcing this rule when Spike breaks his leg going after a bounty. He’s lucky he didn’t fare worse falling out of a second story window. 

He had gone in after the man despite Jet’s insistence that they were not adequately prepared and had no way of knowing what might be awaiting them if they followed their target. Spike, as usual, paid this no mind, and when he comes back to the Bebop Jet is almost glad that his injuries mean he won’t easily be getting back out there for a few weeks at the least.

The downside to Spike’s immobilization, Jet soon discovers, is that he is an incredibly needy patient. He resents being made to rest, but he physically cannot walk on his own, and he takes out his frustration on Jet. At least once every fifteen minutes, Jet is called to Spike’s bedroom for some new reason; Spike needs water, Spike is hungry, Spike needs help to the bathroom.

Jet knows that Spike wants to get a rise out of him, so he doesn’t give it. This only makes Spike more frustrated, and after about a week of this back and forth Jet knows something has to change, because even though at this point it is practically his job to keep Spike alive, if he keeps this up he might have to kill him.

Spike eyes him suspiciously when he sits down on the bed one night when he brings him water. He takes the glass and continues to look Jet in the eye as he takes a sip, and Jet laughs at him.

“I just want to talk to you,” he says.

“About?” Spike asks.

“This,” Jet gestures between them.

“What about this?” Spike asks.

“Look, you’re obviously upset that you’re injured. Sorry. I am too. But it’s not my fault, and I’m trying to help you, and I know it’s frustrating not being able to do things for yourself but it’s going to be a while before you can walk again and-“

“That’s not the problem,” Spike interrupts.

Jet stares at him. “Then what is the problem?” he asks.

“You just… you’re always on me about this stuff. When I mess up. If I take risks it’s because I’m trying to get bounties for the both of us, but you just always lecture me about being careful or get mad because I didn’t listen to you. We’re supposed to be partners, you’re not like, in charge of me.”

Jet continues staring. He feels like he can barely process everything Spike just threw at him. 

“That’s what you think this is all about?” he says.

“What do you think it’s all about?” Spike asks, and he is properly pouting now which makes jet want to laugh, but he holds back.

“I care about you, idiot,” he answers. “You think I just want to be in control? I’m trying to keep you alive. I do kind of enjoy having you around, you know.”

Spike is the one staring now. “What?” he says.

“What do you mean ‘what?’” Jet asks.

“I mean…” Spike begins, “you care about me?”

“Of course,” Jet says, “did you think I didn’t this whole time?”

“I don’t know,” Spike says, “I guess I just. Figured it was mostly about how I could be useful. I don’t know.”

He sounds small now and Jet feels like they are brushing up against something major from the Spike’s past. He feels bad that the conversation has veered into this territory but he doesn’t know how he would have avoided it or how to get it out now that it’s here. The best he can do is try to lighten the mood.

“Spike,” Jet says, “if I just wanted someone useful I would have dumped you back on that shithole moon where I found you within the first week after we met.”

He’s worried that he didn’t strike the right chord, but he doesn’t have to worry for long. Soon Spike is laughing, and then Jet is laughing too, and whatever darkness had started to encroach on them is forced back again by their joy. 

“I guess that’s true,” Spike says when he can speak again.

“It is,” Jet assures him, “you’re still here because I like having you around. And I would like to keep you around. And that’s why I’m hard on you when you get hurt. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Spike says, and he has a different expression on his face now that Jet can’t really identify. There is still amusement, and fondness and perhaps… curiosity? Jet isn’t sure what it means.

A few seconds later, Spike leans forward and kisses him.

 _Oh_ he thinks, _so that’s what it meant._

Jet can’t say he hasn’t thought about this; he’s probably been thinking about it from the moment he met Spike. But the shift from Spike being angry to Spike understanding Jet’s intentions to Spike kissing him happened so fast that Jet is a little taken aback. He doesn’t want to discourage Spike because he really, really wants this, but he needs them to be on the same page, so he pulls back just enough to speak to him.

“Spike,” he says, “are you sure about this?”

“What do you mean?” Spike asks.

“I mean are you sure you want us, together, like this.”

“Yes,” Spike says without hesitation, like it’s the easiest question he’s ever been asked, and Jet doesn’t understand him but he does believe him, so he lets himself be kissed again.

*

When Jet can’t easily determine the severity of Spike’s injuries he gets nervous. Spike always insists he is fine, but Jet would never trust Spike’s assessment of his own well-being. The trouble is that it is not easy to see a doctor, and even more difficult to convince Spike that they should put in the effort to find one. Jet is making a particularly strong attempt to do so in this particular instance, however, because Spike has been stabbed and Jet is very concerned that he might have serious internal bleeding.

“I know someone I can probably call in a favor with,” Jet says, “will you see him if I can? He’s on Europa, so we’re close by right now, we could be there in a few hours.”

“I’m fine,” Spike insists, clearly trying to hide the fact that he is wincing from moving his torso to look up at Jet.

“You aren’t,” Jet says, “and there are a lot of things that could be very wrong with you and I don’t want you to die so I’m calling my guy.”

Jet hadn’t decided he was putting his foot down until the words were coming out of his mouth, but he’s glad he did. Spike looks like he wants to argue more, but he keeps his mouth shut, although that might just be because he is focusing on pretending that he is not in a huge amount of pain. 

Jet is able to get in touch with his old acquaintance on Europa, and since he owes Jet a favor he is happy to take a look at Spike. It’s a good thing Jet forced the issue, because he quickly determines that Spike needs surgery. He pulls some strings and gets him in, and a few hours later Jet is sitting beside Spike’s bed waiting for him to wake up. He remains filled with anxiety until he sees Spike open his eyes.

“How do you feel?” he asks.

“Fine,” Spike says.

“That’s a lie,” Jet accuses.

“Yeah it is,” Spike admits. 

The whole time Spike was asleep, Jet was toying with whether they should have a conversation about what happened now or later. Seeing Spike’s continued nonchalance toward the whole situation makes him decide that it needs to happen now.

“Internal bleeding,” he says, as if Spike doesn’t already know.

“That’s what I hear,” Spike responds.

Jet is not prone to anger, but sometimes Spike can get under his skin like no one else does. It would be nice, he thinks, if for just one moment Spike could pretend to take something seriously.

“You would have died,” Jet says, “if I hadn’t made us come here.”

“Yep,” Spike acknowledges.

Jet tries to keep his voice level.

“Can you maybe at least pretend that that bothers you? For my sake if not for yours.”

Spike looks him in the eye. Jet can’t read his expression, but it’s softer than the one he was wearing before. 

“It bothers me that it bothers you,” he says.

Jet sighs and takes Spike’s hand in his. 

“That’ll do.”

*

“What happened?” Jet asks as he slowly peels off the remaining pieces of Spike’s charred shirt.  
   
“You should see the other guy,” Spike says with a smirk, then hisses as Jet brushes against one of his burns.  
   
“Spike.”  
   
“I miscalculated,” Spike offers this time.  
   
“You didn’t calculate,” Jet accuses.  
   
“Maybe,” Spike admits.  
   
Jet sighs as he pulls out the first aid kit that he has kept in easy reach since Spike arrived.  It’s going to need to be restocked soon at this rate.  
   
Jet speaks to Spike to take his mind off the pain as he dresses his wounds.  
   
“What did happen?” he asks.  
   
“Realized too late he had a grenade.  We were in an alley off a busy street.”

“You didn’t have time to get out?” Jet asks.

“Maybe,” Spike says, “but.  There was a little girl…”  
   
Jet understands now.  
   
“Is she okay?” he asks.  
   
Spike nods.  
   
“Good,” Jet says as he finishes wrapping gauze around the last of Spike’s major injuries.  The cut on his face probably doesn’t need to be bandaged, but Jet pulls one out and presses it onto Spike’s cheek anyway.  He leaves his hand there afterward, sliding his thumb back and forth across Spike’s cheekbone.  
   
Spike closes his eyes and leans into it.  “I had to,” he says softly.  
   
“I know,” Jet says, stepping forward to wrap his arms around Spike.

Jet forgoes any lecture about caution and splurges for real meat in their dinner that night. 

*

In many ways, it is a relief when all Spike needs is to be nursed through a hangover.

He’s whinier when its something minor like this, but Jet can deal with that. The fact that he hasn’t gone off and almost died takes a lot of weight out of the situation. 

He is very, very whiny though.

And he already spent several hours on the bathroom floor the night before, which meant Jet also spent several hours there rubbing his back and making sure he never passed out or missed the toilet. He’d been too out of it then to be as miserable as he is being now, but Jet hates seeing him that way, so he supposes he still prefers this.

When he hears Spike moan “Jeeeet,” from their room, however, he has to admit he has some second thoughts.

“I’m here, I’m here,” he says, pushing through the door with a tray in hand.

All Jet can see of Spike is his hair on the pillow until he pulls the blanket down just enough to show his eyes. “I don’t want food,” he says upon seeing the tray, and he does look like it’s probably not the best idea for him right now, but Jet will insist he at least try to eat something. 

“It’s just toast,” Jet says, “and a lot of water.”

Spike sighs and looks like he is going to sit up, but thinks better of it and doesn’t move.

“Maybe not this second,” he suggests.

Jet nods and sets down the tray.

“At least drink this,” he says as he hands him a glass. Spike nods and accepts it.

“How bad was I last night?” he asks. He cringes while he says it, but Jet doesn’t know if that’s because he’s picturing what he might have done or because of the pain he’s in now.

“You were fine,” Jet assures him.

“What did I do?” Spike asks.

“Mostly you just tried to get me in bed,” Jet says, which is the truth. He doesn’t need to know how shameful some of his attempts were.

“Tried?” Spike asks. 

“You were pretty gone,” Jet says, “I thought you might not actually get that much out of it.”

Spike nods, then cringes again. 

“Drink more water,” Jet instructs, and Spike, surprisingly, listens without argument.

“Did I really not embarrass myself that much?” Spike asks.

“I didn’t say that,” Jet answers, but he’s smiling so Spike knows he doesn’t mean it unkindly.

Spike smiles back, so he must have understood. He lies back down after he has finished his first glass of water.

“I have more,” Jet reminds him.

“Later,” Spike says, reaching out to Jet to try to pull him down next to him.

Jet complies. Spike tucks his head against his shoulder and sighs contentedly, and Jet thinks maybe he is going to go back to sleep, but then he feels Spike slide his hand under his shirt.

“Do you really want that right now?” Jet asks.

“Not really,” Spike says, “can’t I just feel you up?”

Jet laughs. “I guess,” he says. He brings a hand to Spike’s face and kisses him, then laughs again when Spike tries to pull away.

“I made you brush your teeth before you went to bed last night,” Jet tells him.

“Oh,” Spike says, “good. I thought my mouth felt less gross than it should.”

Jet sighs. 

“I know,” Spike says, “I won’t go overboard next time. No need to remind me.”

“I hope that’s true,” Jet says, although he is almost certain that it isn’t.

“O ye of little faith,” says Spike, leaning in for another kiss now that he has been assured he is not gross. It’s slow and calm because Spike doesn’t have the energy for it to be anything else at the moment. He’s not one to take his time, so Jet actually finds it a nice change of pace.

“To be honest,” he says, “of all the poor choices you make, the consequences of this one might not actually be that bad.”

“Easy for you to say,” Spike pouts, “my head is so fucked.”

“But isn’t one of the best solutions to that problem for you and I to lie in bed together all day?”

Spike considers this. “I think so,” he says, “I’m pretty sure that’s the cure actually.”

Jet smiles. Taking care of Spike is definitely a full-time job, but sometimes it’s a pretty enjoyable one.


End file.
